FBI Director James Comey has acknowledged he does not have evidence to support his claim added scrutiny and criticism of police officers have fueled an increase in crime. Speaking to police officials at a conference in Chicago Monday, Comey said the so-called Ferguson effect is just “common sense.” These are his remarks from Friday.

James Comey: “And so, the suggestion—the question that’s been asked of me is: 'Are these kinds of things changing police behavior all over the country, and is that what explains the map and the calendar?' The honest answer is I don’t know. And I don’t know that that explains it entirely. But I do have a strong sense that some part of the explanation is a chill wind that has blown through law enforcement over the last year.”

The White House, meanwhile, disputed Comey’s claims about the supposed connection between increased crime and increased scrutiny of police, saying, “The evidence we have seen so far doesn’t support the contention that law enforcement officials are shirking their responsibilities.”